Jailed Neo-nazis Now Not Believed to Have Been Involved in Terrorist Attacks in Paris

March 1, 1983

PARIS (Feb. 28)

French police officials back from Madrid where they interrogated a number of arrested Spanish neo-fascists do not believe they were involved in the terrorist attack against the Paris Liberal Synagogue on the Rue Copemic which killed four people in October 1980. Police sources said the Spanish authorities now also doubt the arrested men were involved in any terrorist attacks outside Spain.

The French are just as sceptical about the participation of the arrested five West German neo-Nazis in the attack on a Jewish restaurant in Paris last summer. A French investigating magistrate, Jean-Louis Bruguiere and several police officers are in London where two of the arrested terrorists are held. One of the two, Walter Kexel, looks somewhat similar to a member of the hit squad which last August 9 attacked a Jewish restaurant in the old Paris ghetto killing six people and wounding 22, but first reports say he does not seem to have been involved in the attack. The French ministry of Justice said, however, that all clues will be followed and all possible suspects will be thoroughly investigated,